Poor In Spirit

THOUGHTS TO CONSIDER

God is here and that to bless us!

It is in the very nature of God to bless us.

Psalm 1: “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.”

Psalm 32v1-2: “Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit.”

Pr 4v18: “The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.”

When God blesses we ought to continue shining even more brightly each day.

Here Jesus teaches the Disciples how to continue shining brightly each day.

What are the Beatitudes?

Declarations of Blessing pronounced at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount

Each beatitude begins with “Blessed are..” - it is not an explanation of how to get into heaven.

Jesus begins laying the foundation of the kingdom by focusing on who we are in Christ.

John 1v16: “From the fulness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another.”

To be blessed is to be divinely happy, to know flourishing and contentment in God

Makarios - “Wholeness”; “To have all that you need in Christ”.

This “Blessedness” is a gift from God to those who have responded to the Kingdom.

In the Beatitudes Jesus shows us the path to true happiness.

They are opposite to the world’s beatitudes.

The World’s Beatitudes

Blessed are those who have great wealth; good health; and strength;

Blessed are those who have knowledge; who have a top class education;

Blessed are those who have position and status; who have power.

THOUGHTS TO GRASP

Jesus Proclaims the Beatitudes to the Poor

Isaiah 61: “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.”

James 2: “Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?”

Jesus is NOT saying: “Blessed are those who are financially poor or poor spirited”

Poor Spirited: “I’m just no good, I’m useless, poor me, I’ll never be good enough for heaven!”

What is Poverty of Spirit?

Poor in Spirit is to be a spiritual beggar before the presence of God.

Two Words for “poor” - 1) the widow with the mite; 2) A beggar with absolutely nothing!

It is a feeling of powerlessness - we can’t save ourselves!

It is a feeling of emptiness before God - “I’m empty, I need filled!”

It is a feeling of uncleanness before God - “Woe is me… I am a man of unclean lips”

It is a feeling of unworthiness before God -

Centurion: “Lord do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof”

It is a total dependence and reliance upon God for everything

Job: “I had heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees thee; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes” (Job 42:5–6).

Jesus: “Apart from Me you can do nothing! if we remain in Christ we will bear much fruit..”

Peter: “Simon Peter fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, ‘Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord’” (Luke 5:8).

Paul: “I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh” (Romans 7:18).

Augustus Toplady: “Nothing in my hands I bring, simply to thy cross I cling?”

William Carey: “Born August 17th, 1761; Died June 9th, 1834; A wretched, poor, and helpless worm, On Thy kind arms I fall.”

Consider The Poverty of Spirit in Christ

When he humbled himself in baptism - “let it be so, John!”

When Jesus was tempted of Satan, he was reliant upon the Word of God “it is written”

His prayer life shows such dependence upon his Father: Early mornings; Through the night; Choosing his Disciples; Mt Transfiguration; Gethsemane...

Paul: “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!”

THOUGHTS TO PONDER

To the Poor in Spirit:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

What a wonderful promise!

If you feel spiritually poor, weak, bruised, empty… The Kingdom is yours!

Pray - “Thy Kingdom Come!” - Save me! Fill me! Heal me! Empower me!

May the Lord move upon you today in Kingdom Power!

God bless you richly! Amen!